European Policies in Support of Small Enterprises in the Agricultural Sector. EU Policies and Funds for the Development of Agriculture in Campania Region

This research examines the ways in which the European Union supports agricultural SMEs in the member states. First of all through the CAP, the Common Agricultural Policy, which has numerous objectives: it helps farmers not only to produce food, but also to protect the environment, improve animal welfare and keep rural communities economically alive. There are nearly seven million beneficiaries of the common agricultural policy (CAP) in the European Union. Among these, many are small and medium-sized enterprises, with a turnover of less than 50 million euros and which employ 82% of workers in Italy (well above the EU average) and represent 92% of active enterprises. Numbers that make SMEs a salient feature of the Italian economy and reflect traditions and entrepreneurship widespread in the territories.